『Abstract
Naturally occurring 222Rn (radon; t1/2
= 3.8 days) is a good natural tracer of groundwater discharge
because it is conservative and typically 2-3 orders of magnitude
higher in groundwater than surface waters. In addition, new technology
has allowed rapid and inexpensive field measurements of radon-in-water.
Results from the C-25 Canal, a man-made canal in east-central
Florida thought to be dominated by groundwater inflows, display
how one can quickly assess a water body for locations of groundwater
inputs. Although only the eastern portion of the canal was surveyed,
use of a few assumptions together with some continuous radon measurements
allowed reasonable estimates of the groundwater inflows to be
made. Groundwater discharge estimates of 327,000 m3/day
and 331,000 m3/day were measured for two stations based
on determining the groundwater fraction of the total stream flow.
This fraction in each case was calculated by correcting radon
concentrations for decay over transit times determined from concentration
differences between the apparent focal point of groundwater discharge
(with a concentration of 520±80 dpm/L) estimated to be 〜17.7 km
upstream from the downstream sample locations. During the same
period, an average flow of 312,000±70,000 m3/day was
determined from time-series measurements of radon at a fixed downstream
location. Coincident current meter readings and a measured cross-section
area allowed an independent assessment of the total stream discharge
of 336,000 m3/day. The radon-derived estimates thus
indicate that >90% of the total flow is groundwater derived, consistent
with the known characteristics of this waterway.
Keywords: Submarine Groundwater Discharge; Radon; Tracer; Florida』
Introduction
Study site and experimental
Results and discussion
Survey results
Groundwater end-member determination
Vertical profiles
Time-series measurements
Summary and conclusions
Acknowledgments
References